FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday 21st September, 2011.

After a horror run of outs at Sandown during the previous Australian Formula Ford round – last weekend, Shae Davies bounced back with a genuinely competitive showing at Phillip Island’s sixth event of the eight round national title chase.

Quick from the outset after recording the fifth fastest practice lap on Friday, Shae was left disappointed that he couldn’t repeat the performance in qualifying, ruing a Red Flag that stopped the session on his fastest flying lap when the tyres were at their best.

Starting from 10th on the grid in the 20-car field, Shae enjoyed some spirited opening race dicing to come home in ninth, before improving one further spot in the second race of the three making up the sixth round. The glorious seaside circuit saved the best weather for last and Shae was determined to move through the order in Sunday’s final event, which he did in style during the early stages. A flying start and two excellent passing manoeuvres saw him as high as fifth and running with the lead pack, before he lost rear-end grip and fell back into the clutches of the slipstreaming open wheel pack.

A late race Safety Car provided him with the chance to cool his tyres and at the re-start Shae clung to the lead battle pack, before he felt the engine starting to lose power. This, combined with a distinct lack of drive out of the vital second-last corner, saw Shae unable to launch a pass on the long Phillip Island start-finish straight. Despite a lack of comparative performance to those around him, Shae ran nose to tail with the leading train of cars before coming home hot on the heels of the eight-car train at the end of the race.

“I was quick enough to be further up the field and I really feel that a top six result was there for the taking, but I just couldn’t get close enough to those ahead at the exact point where it mattered most. Early in the final I was confident of pushing for a top-three result, but once we lost straight line speed I was a sitting duck for those behind me, and try as I might, one by one they just drafted by me down the straight. There was nothing I could do to respond. Even with the aid of the slip-stream they were giving me I just couldn’t get enough momentum to make a pass.

“We enjoyed an excellent weekend and I’m now even more confident heading into my home race at Surfers Paradise in late October. The car is straight, it hasn’t got a mark on it and we are finding more and more speed with each outing. The Gold Coast round is my personal Grand Prix and the Borland Racing boys and I will be doing everything we can to make it a successful one.”

Click below for PDF Press Release for Full Results:

Shae Davies Racing Release – Rd 6 AFFC

NEXT EVENT: V8 Supercar Championship Meeting, Gold Coast 600, Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, QLD (21-23 October, 2011)

For more information please contact Shae Davies on: 0400 015 056 or Chris Jewell on: 0417 458 416

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